Ryan Stewart knows the bigger they are the harder they fall as Rosemount look to stun high-flying East Belfast in the quarter-finals of the Border Cup this Saturday.

The 35-year-old midfielder will lead his side out at East Park this weekend in what he reckons is his club’s most important game since they moved up into the Amateur League’s Intermediate bloc.

Riding high in the Premier Division and still undefeated in the cups, the East have been in imperious form this season and come into the tie on the back of a 7-0 rout of Downpatrick.

Stewart admits that few expect Lee Cathcart’s side, the lowest ranked team left in the competition and currently struggling in the bottom half of 1C, to cause the Sydenham men too many problems.

But he also acknowledges that to win anything, you have to beat the best, and is long enough in the tooth to know that in cup football, anything can happen.

“The East are a good side, they have a lot of good players, so we go into it as underdogs, as we have in every cup game so far this season to be honest,” said Stewart.

Ryan Stewart (left) in action against Annagh's Michael Gault

“But the boys are all looking forward to it, it’s a good experience for the lads. We have some young lads and some experienced boys so it’s a game we look forward to and relish, especially considering where the club has come from.

“To be in this situation and on this stage, it’s a massive game and probably the biggest game we’ve been involved in at this level.

“Obviously we had the Junior Cup final a few years back but after promotion [to Intermediate football in 2017] I would say it’s the biggest game the club have had.”

Rosemount have already claimed two Premier Division scalps en route to the last eight, those of Derriaghy and Drumaness Mills, while Ballynahinch United were also dispatched in round three.

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A rampant East Belfast will provide a different test altogether, of course, but while Stewart insists Rosemount will give their opponents the respect the deserve, he and his teammates won’t fear them either as they look to pull off what would rate as the biggest upset of the Amateur League season so far.

“Our league form hasn’t been too good but the ability in the team and in the squad is top notch. We haven’t been doing it in the league but we’ve been getting ourselves up for the cup games,” explained Stewart.

“Drumaness and Derriaghy were two good games, we turned up and we performed and played well. But in all fairness, I think it is another step up, the East are a good side, they’re competing for the Premier Division.

“They have ability hanging out of them and there are a lot of good lads down there too but the boys are looking forward to it, it’ll be a good challenge.

“And we fancy ourselves. We are strong at set plays, our front three, Dean Annett, Scott Shannon and Nicky Eccles have been very good this year, and we’re strong right through the middle so we go into the game with confidence.”